Richard Downing Pope Sr. (April 19, 1900 – January 28, 1988), better known as Dick Pope, was the founder of Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida. He was also known as "Mr. Florida" and "Mr. Water Skiing." He played a key role in the development of tourism in the state of Florida, and in the growth of theme parks as tourist destinations. He was a highly accomplished athlete, and helped to popularize the sport of water skiing. Personal life Dick Pope Sr. was born in Des Moines, Iowa, according to legend during the middle of a tornado, from where he was said to have derived his whirlwind personality and energy for life. At the age of 7, in 1908, his family moved to Lake Wales, Florida. For a while, he lived and worked in New York City. In 1926, while in North Carolina, he met his future wife, Julie Pope. Together they spent most of their lives in and around Winter Haven, Florida. They were active members of St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Winter Haven. They had two children, Dick Pope Jr. and Adrienne Pope Watkins. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Pope was known for his lively personality and his flamboyant clothing, including a turquoise suit, trimmed in pink, worn with bright white shoes. Business career Pope started working in his father's real estate business at an early age. He was a natural promoter and salesman. He is said to have closed his first real estate deal when he was just 12 years old. During the Great Depression, he took different jobs working as a promoter and salesman. He and his brother had some success promoting speedboats and aquaplanes on lakes throughout Florida. In the early 1930s, his wife Julie showed him an article in Good Housekeeping about a man charging visitors money to see the manicured gardens around his mansion home. From this, they hatched the idea of Cypress Gardens, and over the next few years they worked to convert a section of swamp land on the shores of Lake Eloise into a theme park garden. On January 2, 1936, Dick and Julie Pope officially opened their famed theme park, charging visitors 25 cents each to visit. Cypress Gardens was an immediate success. Cypress Gardens would eventually grow to over 200 acres of land, and host more than a million visitors annually.